TV on DVD: 'Matt Houston,' 'Poldark' and more

MATT HOUSTON:FIRST SEASONSeriesHow bad is this show? So bad, it's transfixing - the ultimate slice of '80s cheese from producer Aaron Spelling. Drawling Texas zillionaire (Lee Horsley, sort of a cut-rate Burt Reynolds) solves murders by flying his helicopter around L.A. from a landing-pad penthouse equipped with hot tub and "high tech" computer named Baby. Add gunfire, explosions, vehicle chases, prancing lawyer/

sidekick (Pamela Hensley, sort of a cut-rate Charlie's Angel), nerdy accountant and two dim buckaroo buddies. No plot twist too hackneyed, no guest star too has-been, no shoulder pads (or cowboy chaps) unworn.

List price$50 for six discs, out today from CBS.

ALSO OUT

sCARECROW and MRS. KING: FIRST SEASONBruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson as secret agent and housewife helper in another '80s fave; $40, CBS.

DALZIEL and PASCOE: SEASON 1Street-wise Yorkshire detective gets educated new partner in '90s odd-couple copfest; $35, BBC.

POLDARKDashing circa-1800 miniseries from '70s "Masterpiece Theatre," considered a British "Gone With the Wind"; $70, Acorn.

GBH Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay star in acclaimed British '90s miniseries of a psycho- political power struggle that snowballs into something chilling, funny, graphic and scathing, with commentary, interviews, Elvis Costello score; $60, Acorn.

TV DVDs ON THE WAYApril 20: "Merlin" (NBC/2009)

May 4: "Marcus Welby, M.D."

May 11: "Daria" (complete series)

June 8: "Tales of the Gold Monkey"